Second Fort Worth officer on restricted duty during probe of racially insensitive post
The Fort Worth Police Department on Friday placed on restricted duty an officer who it said was the focus of an internal investigation after the officer shared an online post the department described as racially insensitive.
The matter is the second under similar circumstances at the department this week.
In both cases the investigations were spurred by postings found by other Fort Worth officers, the department said.
The department has not released the officers’ names. The officer who is the subject of the investigation that was launched on Friday has been on the force for four years. The officer involved in the probe that was announced on Monday has been employed by the department for three years.
“The Fort Worth Police Department is committed to transparency and will release further information when we are legally able to do so,” a spokesman wrote in a statement.
Officers on restricted duty status have their gun, badge and police powers removed pending the outcome of the investigation. The officers’ change in status was directed by Chief Neil Noakes.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price released a statement in which she wrote that she appreciated Noakes’ action in the cases.
“This kind of behavior must be uprooted in order for the department to rebuild the trust needed in our community, and the fact that an incident of this kind is happening with such frequency is a major concern,” Price wrote.
“The culture of the Fort Worth Police Department must be one of excellence and integrity. I appreciate that, in both instances, it was a fellow officer that called out and condemned the social media posts. With more officers who are committed to holding one another to the high standards of the department, we see a shifting culture within the department. However, we still have work to do and it is absolutely imperative that we do it. “
This story was originally published February 5, 2021 at 3:59 PM.
